WolfBane ii teaser
by Slade1987
Summary: Seven years have passed since the victory over the forces of Ganon and the death of the King of Hyrule. Queen Zelda summons Link to Castle Town, fearing an impending doom. However it is no longer Link's time and the mantle of hero must inevitably pass to another as a greater darkness than ever before descends on Hyrule...


Link staggered, clutching his side where the blade had cut clean through his armor and bit flesh. Pulling his hand back, he was surprised by the sight of blood on his fingers. He'd spent the past years training to keep the abilities he'd learned during the war keen and he was being thrown around like a novice!

"Hmm," remarked his foe, a pale and slender figure who was too androgynous for Link to be sure if it was a man or woman he faced. "I thought you'd be more challenging."

"Ghirahim," snapped the second foe in purple robes. "Stop toying with him and finish him off. Zant won't like you dawdling!"

"You aren't finishing anyone off." a woman's voice said. "Take them!"

The two looked up in surprise as Queen Zelda of Hyrule led a charge into the vaulted marble chamber with a force of men-at-arms at her front. The armored forces closed in on the two foes who immediately leapt back from Link as he staggered to his feet and raised his sword.

"Are you alright?" the Queen asked as she reached his side.

Link nodded jerkily. "Yeah, you?"

The Queen smiled at him wanly. "We're losing. They've taken the market and the temple, the walls are lost."

Link swallowed and turned to join the fray, but the Queen forestalled him a moment, pressing a hand to his side and suffusing it in a healing glow.

"I won't think less of you if you flee now. Malon and your son are waiting."

He hesitated, thinking of his seven-year old son Raven and his beloved wife. Could he face them having fled from Zelda's side?

He shook his head. "I'm not leaving you."

She smiled at him. "Thank you Link, please don't die."

The boyish grin that he'd so often worn during their great adventure seven years previously appeared on his face as he turned and charged at the two enemies as they fended off the men-at-arms.

* * *

><p>Zelda watched Link dive into the fray, feeling a pulling on her heart. He'd refused to leave. That at least reassured her to a degree. Hopefully it would make the difference. Seeing her men being thrown about like rag dolls however did nothing to reassure her. There was a hideous screech from behind her and she turned, eyes narrowing as the shadow beasts that had assaulted Castle Town poured in from the way she and her men had fled. They had long black hair—if in fact it was hair—and their black bodies were covered in red runes. Vicious claws marked their hands as they scurried towards her and their heads were formed by massive discs with swirling rings atop them.<p>

Several of them came towards her now and she raised her hand, waving it back and forth as the emblem on the reverse side of her hand glowed with power. The slashes of energy she sent towards them cut the shadow beasts to pieces but still more were coming. She readied her blade and fell upon them, their claws glancing off her fitted plate armor as she danced amongst them, hacking and slashing as she went. They obviously felt pain, of that she was certain as they wailed and fell before her blade, however just as many got up as fell it seemed.

She fought on however, as long as she could, she would remain standing and beat this darkness the way she had done so before, with Link at her side.

"STOP." boomed a commanding voice.

Instantly the shadow beasts froze, many in mid-strike before they shuffled away from her. Zelda turned towards the voice to find a new armored figure standing amidst the bodies of her soldiers. The two who had been fighting Link before now stood aside deferentially, their heads bowed. This then was the leader of these dark forces. The one who led the attack against her kingdom.

"You are defeated your Majesty." the figure said. "Yield, and I will spare your people further slaughter."

Zelda looked at the bodies of her men at his feet and knew he was right, and yet she felt her pride balking at the idea of surrender. In her seven year reign as Queen she had yielded to no one, and the Kingdom of Hyrule had prospered under her benevolent yet firm rule. This man may be toppling her armies, but there were other forces she could yet call upon. If she could escape with Link, she might yet—there was a snarling roar and Link erupted from the pile of corpses which had covered him. He was in his wolf form, the full fury of his rage unleashed as he leapt at the armored figure who turned to look at the attack, his conical helm hiding his expression from view.

Any hope Zelda had that Link might strike down their foe however was dashed as he caught Link by his throat. This was no small feet considering that Link's wolf form was the size of a large pony and far bulkier. However this man seemed to do it easily, holding Link by the throat as he began to squeeze.

"STOP IT!" Zelda shouted. "DON'T HURT HIM!"

The armored figure's head turned to her even as he continued strangling Link who was now flailing and jerking in his grasp.

"Do you surrender?" he inquired coldly.

Zelda looked at Link, his blue eyes locked with hers, begging her not to yield. She sighed heavily. She couldn't sacrifice him. Not him. Anyone else, perhaps...but not him.

She released her rapier, letting it clatter to the floor.

"I surrender."

The figure nodded, his voice smug.

"Good," he turned to Link. "Now."

Zelda's eyes widened as Link reverted to his human form and began screaming in pain as shadow began to consume him.

"STOP IT! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?"

"He will live." the armored figure said ominously. "But as a servant of the shadows."

* * *

><p>Link's body was on fire, everything burned as his foe held him in his grip and the shadows consumed him. He thrashed and writhed in the grip of the enemy but to no avail as the fire spread throughout him and filled his very being. His struggles ceased and he went slack, hanging limply from the armored figure's grip as he gazed upwards at the castle's vaulted ceiling, his vision turning red. The last conscious thought he had before his will was stripped from him, was of Malon and little Raven.<p>

* * *

><p>Zelda watched in mounting horror as Link's body became corrupted with shadow and his eyes turned a burning red. He dropped to the ground as the armored figure released him, kneeling before his enemy.<p>

"Rise shadow," the armored figure commanded. "Rise before Zant."

Link stood, his red eyes aglow as he looked up at Zant who turned to Zelda.

"Take her to her chambers, and keep her there."

Zelda swallowed as the silent Link turned to her, coming towards her wordlessly and taking her arm and leading her forcefully away.

"Link?" she called to him.

He didn't respond and Zelda began to despair. What had just happened? And what could she do about it? She only hoped that Impa could reach Raven in time to keep him from this. Her dream seven years ago, the one that she had once again seen a week ago, had shown Raven standing against the shadows. If the dream were to be believed, then the child of the Hero of Light was the key. She could only hope that the dream spoke the truth.

* * *

><p>AN: I will be expanding this teaser a bit with a second (and perhaps a third) scene introducing some of the other cast members. No idea if this will actually mark the start of the story or not, but since I've been getting the question as to: 'When is the sequel?' I thought I might as well show that there is indeed an idea of it if not an actual form.<p> 


End file.
